This Is Your Story
by Randomestfandoms
Summary: Before Steve Rogers hit the ice, American scientists collected as many sources of DNA as they could in the hope that one day it could be used to create another super soldier.  In 2012, Nikki is as shocked as anyone when her father is finally unfrozen but she's even more excited.  It's going to take some time for them to find a good rhythm, but family is worth the effort.


_Before Steve Rogers hit the ice, American scientists collected as many sources of DNA as they could in the hope that one day it could be used to create another super soldier. When SHIELD–or technically Hydra–finally tried, they were disappointed to get a girl, and were quick to toss her aside. Raised by the best of the best, to be a weapon while still living as a semi-normal girl–as normal as you can be when you're raised by Peggy Carter, and Natasha Romanov after her, and knowing that your father is Captain America himself–Nikki is as shocked as anyone when her father is finally unfrozen and she's even more excited when he gets custody over her. It's going to take some time for them to find a good rhythm, especially with aliens and Hydra and robots trying to destroy them, but family is worth the effort._

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for Nikki and her concept

Fic title is from Daughter by Sleeping At Last and chapter title is from In My Daughter's Eyes by Martina McBride

**This Is Your Story**

In My Daughter's Eyes

Nikki hadn't been _looking_ for him, she really hadn't. But she had been sitting in her Uncle Phil's office, looking for something to draw on, when she saw a file labeled Rogers, Steven G.

And really, who could blame her for taking a quick peek? It's not like she knew what it was going to say; not like she _knew_ that SHIELD was hiding her father in a room across the base. Last she'd heard, he was in the medical bay, still comatose and showing no signs of waking, even as she'd spent the past month daydreaming about him waking up, about the life that she could have with him. She certainly didn't know that he was awake, and had been awake for a week. But once she did, how could anyone blame her for taking a slightly closer look?

Once she had the room number, it was easy to slide her feet - clad in her usual white knee high socks - back into her favourite black oxfords. As she stood, she smoothed out the folds of her red and blue plaid skirt, a habit she'd picked up from her Aunt Peggy, and tugged on the hem of her white knit pullover.

Once she was presentable - as put together as she was deadly, Peggy always described it - Nikki took off down the familiar hallways of SHIELD's New York base, ducking in between agents as she made her way to the west wing. Her blonde hair bounced with every step, carefully held back by two braids while the rest hung loose, and her blue eyes darted around as she tried to make sure that there was no one who would try to stop her.

She finally reached the right door, looking frantically over her shoulder as she pulled a bobby pin from her hair. Once she was certain that no one had followed her, she unbent the pin and slid it into the lock - SHIELD doors all locked automatically, and Natasha had only taught her how to override the manual locks themselves not the keycard locks.

She pushed the door open slowly, peering in to find it empty before stepping all the way in.

Looking around the room - not even the slightest bit personalized, and really, if she hadn't seen the file she would have assumed it was unoccupied - she was struck with a horrible thought.

Steve had been awake for a week, and no one had told her. Maybe, maybe it wasn't that no one had told him about her. Maybe he didn't want her. He hadn't exactly signed up for a daughter, especially not for a ten year old supersoldier.

She was going to leave, really, she was. She was going to go back to Uncle Phil's office and pretend that she'd never seen anything. But as she turned back towards the door, the handle turned and it swung open, revealing the very man she'd been looking for.

After waking up from the ice, Steve Rogers didn't think that anything could surprise him. But as he stood in the doorway of his SHIELD-assigned room, being stared at by a small blonde girl whose eyes mirrored his own, he knew that he was wrong.

"Sorry, who are you?" he asked.

"Nicole Margaret Rogers," she told him. "Nikki. I'm your daughter."

"I… There's no way I have a daughter," he said.

The girl - Nikki - rolled her eyes. "The wonders of modern technology," she sighed. "Howard Stark had DNA samples - sperm samples -" Steve choked on his breath, causing Nikki to giggle before continuing. "Never used them but he had this whole Project Rebirth side project about how to use your DNA to create a new supersoldier. After 9/11, SHIELD decided to use that plan to make a new super soldier. I… no one ever told me who my mom is but well, instead of their perfect soldier boy they got me."

"You don't know who your mom is?" Steve asked - it would be easier to focus on the small picture than on the fact that some scientists had bred his daughter - and _holy shit_ he had a daughter - for war.

Nikki shook her head, fingers twisting around each other. "I've asked but, well, apparently that's need to know."

"So, who raised you?" he asked, making a mental note to talk to Fury later.

"Aunt Peggy, mostly. She's my godmother. She trained me, too, once I started asking. But, well… her alzheimer's got pretty bad so now my Auntie Nat and Uncle Clint typically raise me, whoever isn't off on a mission."

"Peggy - Peggy's alive? And trained you? Like a -"

"Like a soldier," Nikki finished. "Or, more like an agent, I guess. I _am_ a supersoldier, you know. But, hold on - no one told you that Aunt Peggy is alive? Are you serious?"

Steve nodded, eyebrows furrowing.

Nikki watched him sadly, eyes soft and shoulders drooped, before she perked back up. "Let's go visit her!"

"Sorry, what?"

"I'm serious," Nikki insisted. "We can sign out one of SHIELD's cars - I can totally copy Uncle Clint's signature for that - and DC is only like, four hours away. I'm supposed to be going there tonight anyways to stay with Aunt Nat but…" she looked up at him, eyes wide and hopeful. "I only found out a couple of hours ago that you were alive and I mean… I know that I'm just some kid who broke into your room but… you're my da-father, and… I really want to get to know you? I mean," she looked away, tears welling in her eyes, "if you want… you don't have to though, it's okay, I get it. You didn't sign up for a daughter, it's not like -"

"Of course I want to get to know you, Nik," Steve told her softly. "But I'm not sure that SHIELD would appreciate me kidnapping you."

"It's not exactly kidnapping," she giggled. "You _are_ my father, and technically you still have custody rights, you know, if you want them."

"I think I'll have to get an apartment first," Steve started.

"I already have a folder full of listings," Nikki offered, before turning red and looking down. "I… I guess I was a bit too… what's that word? Like, I was assuming too much?"

"Presumptuous," he suggested, and she nodded, embarrassment seeping from every pore. "You'll have to tell me about the options during the drive."

She beamed at him, and Steve could feel his heart swelling fondly as he smiled back at her.

"You mean -"

"I do," he agreed. "Why don't you go pack and we can meet back here in fifteen minutes?"

Nikki nodded eagerly, hugging him tightly before bouncing out the door.

"See you soon, dad!" She called over her shoulder, sprinting down the halls at a speed that could only be explained by his enhanced DNA.

_Dad._ He could get used to that.

**~~~FIN~~~**

Holy SHIT I can't believe that it's been 7 years since I first came up with Nikki! This story has honestly grown up with me - I first came up with it watching Avengers in theatres every day for a week and a half bc I was recovering from surgery and couldn't go to school. I was in such a bad place and Nikki was a ray of hope for me, and actually sharing her with the world is such an emotional and overwhelming moment for me. I really hope that you all love her as much as I do, and if you ever want to talk about her or see anything I've made, you can find me on tumblr randomestfandoms-ocs ( /nikki-rogers)


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